Former South Alabama standout David Freese joins National League All-Stars

View full sizeThe St. Louis Cardinals' David Freese, who played college baseball at South Alabama, celebrates with fans after Game 7 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, in St. Louis. The Cardinals won 6-2 to win the series. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Former South Alabama standout and current St. Louis Cardinals third baseman David Freese has been named to the 2012 National League roster for next week's Major League Baseball All-Star Game after receiving the most votes in the All-Star Game Final Vote.

The Final Vote gives fans the opportunity to vote one extra player each from the American League and NL to the All-Star Game.

Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish won the AL's extra spot. Among those he outpolled for the honor was Mobilian Jake Peavy, a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox.

Freese will make his first All-Star appearance and is the fourth former Jaguar to be named an All-Star, joining Luis Gonzalez (1999, 2001, '02, '03, '05), Lance Johnson (1996) and Jon Lieber (2001).

Freese ranks second among NL third baseman in hits (81), batting average (.285), home runs (13) and RBIs (50).

He received the most votes among a field that originally started with four other NL players -- Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Bourn, Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Aaron Hill.

Jones was added to the NL roster on Tuesday as a replacement for Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp, who is injured and cannot play.

Freese was the 2006 Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year while receiving All-American and all-SBC honors at South Alabama. He helped lead South Alabama to NCAA Regional appearances in 2005 and '06.

The Wildwood, Mo., native recorded 99 hits and 73 RBIs as a senior in 2006, which rank second and third, respectively, on the Jaguars'single-season records list.

Last season, he was named the Most Valuable Player of the World Series and National League Championship Series, and earned the Babe Ruth Award -- given to the most valuable player of the Major League Baseball postseason, as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Freese batted .397 with five home runs and 21 RBIs in the 2011 postseason. He set postseason records in RBIs and total bases (50) while helping the Cardinals capture the 2011 World Series.